Weber Charcoal Grill For A Rookie?

[AedenD]

Hi guys,

As a complete noob in grilling, I was looking at some new grillers that I can buy. I have read and heard a lot about Weber grills and after reading a few of them I wanted to choose between the Weber Performer Premium Vs Deluxe grill. I will initially be using the charcoal grill to smoke some steak and make a few pizzas. I was just going through the features of the two product on sites such as Weber Performer Premium Vs Deluxe Grills Review - Piaci Pizza & Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill Review (thespruceeats.com) and was confused about the feature I will require. I am also open to new grill suggestion that you guys feel would easy to use and could be used for basic smoking and grilling.

Cheers,

Aeden

 

[pebcakpro]

Either one is a heck of a setup for a "noob". You will be happy for a long time. I used a weber for years until yesterday I picked up the masterbuilt 1050. On the weber, the grates that lift on the sides and let you remove the center is the best attachment for that grill. I would use the basket to hold coals in the center of the grill and cook my chicken thighs on indirect heat to the sides. For longer smokes, I would use the "snake" method and put my meat in the center. Having the adjustable grates allows you to add charcoal more easily in the middle of a cook. Other than those few upgrades, any of the weber grills you pick will be amazing.

Good Luck!

 

[Colin1230]

Welcome to the forum, Aeden. Glad you joined us.
The Weber Performer, regardless of model, will be a great charcoal grill that you will enjoy for a very long time. If there is such a thing, the Weber kettle is the ' do it all' grill. It's that versatile. Just my opinion and again, welcome.

 

[Murdy]

Weber kettle is an excellent choice. They can do just about anything, and because they've been around so long, there are a ton of accessories for them (check out the slow & sear and the vortex) and a lot of online guidance (Youtube, etc.). Regarding deluxe or premium, you just have to decide whether the extra bells and whistles are worth it. I have the same grill on a 3 leg tripod, and it will do anything the more expensive versions will ($120 at Lowes). I smoke a wide variety of meat, do tri tips, sere steaks, etc. and it does just fine.

 

[mike243]

Love my Performer with gas lighting, best grill i have ever had

 

[chopsaw]

A AedenD I have a 2006 Performer deluxe . I absolutely love it . That is a top of the line grill and will serve you for many years .
Mine was a surprise Fathers day gift from my wife . At that time I think it was one model with all the features . Now I think they have 3 models . Performer , premium and deluxe .
Great grill with alot of features that can grill , smoke , bake bread and all kinds of things . The work surface will spoil you as will the propane assist and lid holder . There's also a slot in the back to hand the cook grate when starting the fire .
If you can afford it that would be great tool to have .
This was last summer . Still in good shape at 14 years old .

 

[JLeonard]

I have the Weber basic Kettle......That thing is great. I can only imagine the Cadillac versions you are looking at will perform as well if not better. Good luck in your search and welcome to the forums.

Jim

 

[MarchHare]

My first grill was a Weber kettle. That was 20 some odd years ago.
Had to give it away when I moved.
Presently have a Weber Genesis and a Weber 18.5 smoker.
Same quality. Will most likely outlive me.
Good luck with what ever Weber grill you purchase.
March...

 

[Gabe4321]

I love my 18 inch 2007 model. Only used it for grilling hamburgers, chicken, fish etc. My wife bought me a 22 inch red limited edition weber kettle. It sat and didnt get used much because I though for a family of 4 its to big to cook some hamburgers. I also have a char griller which is about 18 years old on which many years ago I tried smoking ribbs and chicken on it and they didnt turn out all that good. Fast forward to this year and I was introduced to this website and found out my 22 inch weber kettle could be used for smoking also. Watched alot of videos on youtube about cooking on a kettle and read alot of posts on this forum and started using the kettle and fell in love with smoking on it. So much easier than my char griller which I used yesterdsy to do some ribs and it fought me the whole time. The kettle just sat there and chugged along smoking a butt also yesterday at 235 to 250 all day long with not much tinkering at all. Im giving up on the char griller and most likely getting a WSM eventually. Go with the Kettle. So many accessories and a great grill. But I am a newbie so take my advice as you wish. Enjoy this forum. Great people with quick responses and alot of helpful info.

 

[Colin1230]

Hey Aeden,
Have we talked you into that Performer yet?

 

[gmc2003]

You won't be sorry with either choice, but I'd also considor the 26"

Chris

 

[chopsaw]

You won't be sorry with either choice, but I'd also considor the 26"


Chris

One of each works also .

 

[mike243]

If they ever come out with a 26" performer I bet I will be dayvorced not much longer than I can push a button and order 1 lmao

 

[jcam222]

If they ever come out with a 26" performer I bet I will be dayvorced not much longer than I can push a button and order 1 lmao

Of all the things that make my wife irate this is one things she’s conceded on. She seems to now be impervious to new cooker purchases haha

 

[gmc2003]

My wife actually bought my 26 for me. After listening to me whine about not finding what I wanted on CL. She took matters into her own hands. She's a keeper for sure!!!

Chris

 

[Steve H]

I have the performer deluxe. Love it. And I'm spoiled from the gas start feature. Pricy? Yeah. But this is an investment that'll last years if properly maintained.

And the aftermarket rotisserie is another good investment.

 

[SmokinAl]

Just about any Weber kettle will do, they have so many accessories that can be added on at a later date, or you just buy a couple or 3 kettles & set them all up differently. Right now I’m down to 2, one set up with the Santa Maria attachment, which is where my 45 day aged ribeye is going this afternoon, and I have one set up with the pizza kettle attachment. Oh, and I also have the rotisserie for the Santa Maria. With both the pizza & Santa Maria you are cooking over a wood fire, and it really makes a big difference in flavor. So you have a lot to think about!
Al

 

[AedenD]

Hi,

Thank you for your responses, your responses really helped. I have decided to get the performer Deluxe and I'm excited to get started. I will be asking more questions as I start using the grill. Again, thank you for helping.